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Jim Carroll

Music, Life and everything else

OTR hits Italy. Italy not impressed

Saluti from Livorno in Tuscany where OTR is now in situ for the annual Italia Wave festival. We were at this one in 2006 (when it was in Arezzo) and 2007 (when it was in Florence) and now, we’re back …

Jim Carroll

jimcarroll

Thu, Jul 22, 2010, 09:50

Saluti from Livorno in Tuscany where OTR is now in situ for the annual Italia Wave festival. We were at this one in 2006 (when it was in Arezzo) and 2007 (when it was in Florence) and now, we’re back again as it settles into its new home by the sea.

Naturally, OTR will be keeping an eye on the attendance too. While there’s been a lot of talk at home about how so many would-be Oxegen and Electric Picnic-goers are heading elsewhere for their festival kicks, the numbers of some of the main European fests are actually down this year. In Spain, the big one for many international visitors, Benicassim, saw its attendance slump from 200,000 in 2009 to 127,000 this year, with a 10 per cent fall in foreign visitors. Meanwhile, the Rock In Rio Madrid also reported a fall (from 290,000 to 250,000) as high unemployment and lack of cash forced punters to stay away. It seems that it’s not just in Ireland that punters are seeking value-for-money and a decent line-up.